Friday July 3, 2015 –

Laugh while you cry

As the pace began in the beginning of the week, the smell of fear rose like ripe mangoes dangling from the branches in the afternoon sun. Even though the newer teammates wanted to embrace "I can," and "it is possible," the severity of the island's future and a new deep love and appreciation for the joyous locals grasped our hearts, and by Friday…some were spent. Yet the Trinis were determined, and again waited patiently for the Green Cross Training to begin.

As Jenner Cotton, a trauma trip veteran, painted a picture of how healing could look, the participants during the Grief and Loss session engaged. Many, ranging in age, vacillated between laughing with her humorous speaking style and weeping over their own personal loss that quickly surfaced. She reached their heart, enabling them to identify with the material. By the end of the day, teammates who had returned from the other sites provided counseling one-on-one, regarding wounds revealed for the first time in the during the earlier group sessions.

The trauma team assigned to the school appreciated the attendance as it was the very last day of work for the teachers before their summer break. Although the need for compassion fatigue was evident in the eyes of workers drained from daily demands, equally as intense was their desire to help the children. Eyebrows rose along with "aha” sighs, as Dr. Harris gently explained the signs of trauma in children. Her style, driven by her humble passion to help workers, enabled those in the group session to voice their experiences while identifying with each other. They soon realized they were not alone, and became empowered. One of the administrators during the week admitted that in order to attend the session she worked throughout the evening, then slept on the chairs in the same building for a couple of hours to regroup for the course commencing the next morning. It only takes one person to change the system, leaders chimed, and on Friday, those on the front line left anchored by hope.

During the evening, Dr. Vanessa Snyder presented the Compassion Fatigue Educator course for the students still seeking GCAT certification, rolling forward like a college football game in the fourth quarter. Students appreciated her attention to self-care and her patience as she answered numerous, sometimes off-topic, questions followed by a gentle redirect. The remainder of the teams attended Woodbrook Pentecostal church for sessions open to members and visitors, for strengthening relationships within the family. Even though the Pastor and his wife model excellence in every task and love in their relationships, they humbled themselves for their people in order to further promote healing in their community. A sign of a strong church, they say, lay in the life of the church members. Clearly, the breath of God’s life permeates in Trinidad.

By Paula L. Henderson
BA in Public Administration,
MS cert. Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management

Thursday, July 2- Day 6

Minds and hearts

Our work continues this week as it is continuing to be evident that our presentations and counseling are timely.  At the GCAT trainings, the members of the community are coming together as a unified force for the benefit of their country.  Whereas these individuals represent a wide berth of agencies and government departments, they seem to be shifting their perspective about the ability to join together and address the effects of trauma in the Trini population. The participants are immediately putting the techniques related to self-care and compassion fatigue into practice.  One woman shared that she has already used a specific relaxation technique, Emotional Freedom Technique, personally and found it very effective.  At WPC, the team shared with a group of mostly young adults concerning conflict resolution and self-esteem, as well as counseled a few more individuals.  The team at the prison training site are experiencing even more openness on the part of the prison staff to the information that is being presented.  Our willingness to listen and validate their experience of trauma in an incredibly difficult work environment has opened the door for them to receive the tools and information we have brought.

Today the team that I was part of worked with Operation Salvation- a coalition of churches and other community organizations in the Morvant/Laventille area of Port-of-Spain "with a vision for community transformation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ".  One of their leaders had approached Dr. Keyes last year and asked him to come with a team to offer help to Laventille, a community filled with an incredible amount of trauma in the lives of children and families including crime and violence, with multiple shootings and murders.  Additionally, overcrowding, poverty, domestic violence and child abuse make teaching in this area incredibly challenging.

Our role this week has been to meet with multiple groups of teachers and give them information about the effects of trauma on children and how it shows up in the classroom.  The trainings also give them practical tools in order to provide a positive and affirming learning environment despite the difficult behaviors and emotions that their students display.  Another important piece of the presentation is informing the teachers and school officials about compassion fatigue, which is a type of PTSD for individuals who see and hear others' traumas over and over.  Social workers, first responders, counselors, ministry workers, and these teachers are at a higher risk for experiencing trauma-based symptoms due to their helper's heart and the overwhelming amount of trauma that they witness in their community and students' lives.

We were escorted by a task force within the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service who have been designated to work within this specific community and who are dedicated to seeing change.  I was struck by the police officers' and teachers' will to hope for change in their community.  One officer described his previous work as part of a SWAT team, but now he is committed to working with "minds and hearts."  The teachers talked passionately about their students and how they give and give each and every day.  Most of these teachers both work and live in Laventille and so have experienced their own traumas, making our discussion about compassion fatigue and self-care all the more relevant.

It is a privilege to work with such inspiring individuals who then turn around and bless us with their hospitality and appreciation.

Amanda N. Trent, Psy.D.

Wednesday, July 1, Day  5

Impacting a Nation

Everything happens for a reason; that's what some people say.  Although the plans that we may have seem to be well thought out and even inspired by God, we can be sure that it is the Lord's purposes that prevail.  At Woodbrook Pentecostal Church, the group prepared to talk with a good size group of students who were scheduled to come from a highly respected school- Queen's Royal College.  The presentation centered on addiction and conflict resolution; however, the group of students ended up not coming.  Instead our team rounded up a small group of church youth who had come to help and had a discussion about the effects of addiction in their families and community.  We believe the right people were there.  Later in the day, a woman in a wheelchair came for counseling.  She had been in multiple accidents, one resulting in serious burns all over her body and one causing her leg to be permanently injured.  She shared about her feelings of survivor's guilt, humiliation, sadness, and anger.  She felt dismissed by her family and the society, as Trinidad is not disability-conscious as far as access to public places.  In fact, she had just had to use a bucket outside to relieve herself because event the church did not have restrooms that were wheelchair accessible.  Despite the fact that she had plenty to be bitter and angry about, her overall spirit and attitude was one of perseverance.  She shared that she was working to coordinate a symposium for health care workers and other community members to raise awareness about issues regarding individuals with disabilities.  All she needed was a listening ear and the encouragement that she is a survivor and not a victim, that she possesses great resilience.

The teachers at another Laventille school praised Dr. Harris' information, again confirming that the team's arrival was timely.  In contrast to the other schools we had visited, today's school was brand new and gleaming, though the team had a traumatizing time in the elevator on the way up.  They were the first ones ever to be rescued from the school's elevator!  Good news- the team members were unharmed and were able to address their traumatization while in the elevator waiting to be rescued.

Every night we debrief after dinner, sharing with the rest of the team where we went, what experiences we had, and our own reactions to what we saw.  Tonight the two Trinidad natives, Osanne and Lemuel, shared their own insights into the impact that Green Cross is having in their country.  Trinidad and Tobago is in a pivotal time, and the fact that GCAT was invited in is testament to God's provision.  The comment was made that our work is gaining a "foothold" in this country and people, setting many of us up for future ministry and work.  Certainly, assisting in the development of the new chapter of GCAT in Port-of-Spain represents an astounding shift particularly in regards to governmental officials.  It was truly humbling to realize that we are part of something much greater than the two weeks that we are in Trinidad.  Rather, the words of encouragement and training will continue to impact individuals and agencies, and the leaders of the country, long after our team has returned home and gone back to life as normal in America.  I am reminded that my work in America goes beyond what I see day to day, and that our interactions with others can have a lasting effect.

Amanda N. Trent, Psy.D.

Tuesday June 30, 2015, Day 4 -

Unity

The ordinary has become the enemy of unity. Yet as day two rolled in quickly as the dark clouds bringing rain in the early morning, over the mountains protecting us from winds, we began to see that the standard, compliance and the ordinary was not what those working with trauma were seeking in our sessions. Even though our teams had regrouped and prepared for a new day with challenges to overcome, those taking difficult assignments decided to pray assertively throughout the evening for a break through. Although from various backgrounds with unique expertise, the volunteers began to realize that the need was greater than imagined.

Again, Trinis, sat in the waiting room for over an hour earnestly anticipating the Green Cross training. A corporal waiting outside for the day to commence assured some of our team mates that burn out is high for front line workers, and sheepishly admitted that stress was draining her. Yet she quickly showed us pictures of her flower beds in her front yard, and smiled as she gazed upon her roses. Even in the midst of fatigue, an appreciation for life radiates from the eyes of those living on the Island. It is evident as they begin to share their stories, how deeply they care about one another. We were challenged as a team to work together and model stress free unity. We have been dared to care for one another just as the Trinis do, even though our perceptions, our own resistance to change and fear of the unknown block our path to successful teamwork. The Green Cross class focused on compassion fatigue and identifying signs of burn out within their respected fields. Each attendee, soon to be questioned about self-care, learned that helpers and front line workers often become busy taking care of others before themselves. Like the airlines insist, "put your mask on first before helping others with theirs" seemed to be the running theme in all of the trainings. Bonds were created during the group sessions and formal walls came down as openness to a new norm in stress management ensued.

Go with the flow and learn to be fluid, chimed our leaders as we drove to our assignments. These words of wisdom seemed to anchor us as daily changes awaited our arrivals. Yet, the presenters tailored their courses to meet the current needs of those attending. In the end, it was about them, not us. The team at the prison was relieved to have Dr. Erwin at the helm during one of those changes as she simply redirected effortlessly and connected with her audience. "We are doing something different today," she warned, "Just follow my lead." Members of the team marveled as they saw the fruit of staying consistent with the principles used in trauma training. During lunch she even managed to make us laugh as she told us a story about "Mr. Good".

Little did the group know that waiting in the airport was going to be the easier part of the trip? Working together, learning to process, and quickly adapting were part of the learning curve facing the newer members of the team. Yet, character drove us to engage, and a genuine need to help humbled us to learn. As each presenter became vulnerable and shared their stories, walls of resistance and pain in the hearts of those traumatized began to fall, making room to build a stronger community.

By Paula L. Henderson
BA – Public Administration, MS cert. Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management

Monday June 29th 2015, Day 3 –

Building a connection

So it begins…as the Regent Trauma teams were preparing for their assigned daily roles, diligent locals were already waiting outside the hotel ballroom where Green Cross training was scheduled. Years of challenges and difficulties radiated from their gracious eyes. Upon discovering their titles and personal experiences- Police, Emergency Preparedness, Teachers, Prison guards, Social workers, Church members, Youth and Military- it became evident that what we were doing here on the Island is far more than the natural mind could comprehend. The atmosphere was different than those of the trainings given and taken in the past, reminding the volunteers that unity and connection were imperative to cultivate.

In the school, after arriving with a police escort, the team along with Dr.Harris began working with local attendees to identify trauma in children and how it affects their learning skills.  During the power point presentation, community workers and teachers present became reflective, remembering former students and children that the system would simply identify as “problem students”. Regret and interest surfaced in the discussions. Many during the closing remarks embraced the philosophy that they cannot always change the demands placed on them by an organization, but they can control their learning environment.

Concurrently, youth with military schooling were at the church learning communication and conflict resolution skills. With each presentation, mistrust subsided as the students identified with the speakers. Many of the young men were taking notes and genuinely engaged in discussion despite their initial disappointment that girls were not invited. Others watched from the peripheral, yet they were the group members who thanked the leaders for sharing. The day closed with a group hug, prayer for some, and counsel for others. Seeing smiles on formerly hopeless young men was rewarding.

As we met with a wall of resistance from front line workers who were feeling hopeless in the prison, the skilled and trained Regent team simply moved in with compassion while presenting their material. They slowly gained trust, and encouraged relationships with the understanding that people are valuable.

Hearts melted, skepticism remained…yet the desire for connection continued. As small groups formed with each of the teams, the various members of organizations attending began to see comforting similarities. Often, locals commented “you understand us,” sighing “you have your own traumas”. Sharing in a safe place created within the small groups brought about healing and common ground. As the trauma team debriefed in the evening some remarked how renewing it was to see eyes fill with hope, and hear appreciation on a deep level.  Fatigued from the travel and a new environment, we stood resilient.

By Paula L. Henderson
BA Public Administration, MS. Cert Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management

Sunday, June 28- Day 2

We arrived yesterday evening to our destination without a hitch!  Our first outing into Port-of-Spain was to Woodbrook Pentecostal Church, which is serving as a home base for us over the next two weeks.  As we arrived at the church building, nestled between homes and businesses in a seemingly busy part of town, we could hear the joyful music floating out. We entered the packed sanctuary and were entranced by the church's welcome, steel pan praise music, and their hearts for their home and for the world.

Dr. Keyes and Jeff Francis started our  work and ministry by preaching on God's creation and intent for the family and marriage.  In the U.S., we are keenly aware of the breakdown of the family, with many individuals experiencing anger, abuse, violence, and brokenness in the place where we were meant to find support, love, and guidance.The teaching addressed the issues of power and control, as well as emotional abuse, which is contrary to our Father's heart. The people of Trinidad and Tobago have experienced this breakdown as well with many young people growing up in single parent homes or experiencing sexual and physical abuse at a young age.  The Trinis who are part of our team, Lemuel and Osanne, shared that domestic violence is a particular concern, as the violence is instigated by both men and women at alarming rates.  Rev. Williams clearly cares for his people and is seeking to address these damaging dynamics that occur in the church far too often.

These coming weeks, we will be involved and sent out in smaller teams to work in various areas of the city.  One team, headed by Dr. Kathy Arveson and Jenner Cotton, will be stationed at WPC to speak to multiple groups of students from all over the island.  Some will come from the elite schools, and others are in military-type programs due to "failure" in the more traditional classroom settings.  Presentations will address self-esteem, bullying, conflict resolution,  addiction, and effective communication and relationships.  Another team, lead by Dr. Kim Harris, will be working with Operation Salvation.  She will be going to a different school each day and working with teachers on identifying effects of trauma in their students, incorporating classroom strategies that are conducive for traumatized students, and educating the teachers about compassion fatigue and their own self-care.  Another team, lead by Dr. Kathy Erwin, will be presenting to correctional officers at a maximum security prison.  Presentations will include compassion fatigue and trauma responses, conflict resolution, and crisis management.  And the last group will be headed by Dr. Benjamin Keyes and Lemuel Williams, M.A. at the hotel and conference center, where approximately 90 individuals sent by the ministry heads and government officials will be trained in compassion fatigue, disaster relief, and other trauma related issues in preparation for the opening of Green Cross in Trinidad and Tobago.

Tomorrow the fun begins....

Amanda N. Trent, Psy.D.

Trinidad Blog 2015

Saturday, June 27, Day 1

Building walls and wielding swords

Early this morning a team of twenty five professors, students, and mental health professionals gathered at the airport to begin the long journey to this year's destination for the Center for Trauma Studies at Regent University- Trinidad and Tobago.  Dr. Benjamin Keyes, Director of the center and Green Cross Academy of Traumatology (GCAT) is leading this group together with two of Trinidad's finest, Lemuel and Osanne Williams, to equip and empower the people of Trinidad in addressing the devastating effects of trauma in their community.  GCAT is an international, humanitarian assistance organization originally established in 1997 to provide education and practice standards for those working in the area of trauma and disaster relief.

In the last year, key leadership has been planning and many team members have been attending various trauma training classes at the university in preparation for this seventeen day adventure. Together  with Woodbrook Pentecostal Church pastored by Rev. Osbert and Angela Williams, the team from Regent is working with multiple organizations and community leaders.  The main focus of this trip is to lay the foundation for a new chapter of Green Cross Academy in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad to be directed by Lemuel Williams, M.A., a Regent Alum.  During the next two weeks local mental health workers, government officials, and community leaders will be trained in compassion fatigue, assessing post traumatic stress responses, providing appropriate treatments, and addressing issues of grief and loss.  Despite the beauty and pride that is the Trinidad people, there are deep wounds that have been passed from generation to generation because of addiction, sexual and physical abuse, and domestic violence among a large percentage of the population. A strong stigma with mental health issues and receiving help from a psychologist or counselor prevents individuals from experiencing healing.  The mental health system also is in need of additional tools to better treat those who do come to them.

In this blog, it is hoped that you will have just a glimpse into the work in which we engage.  The opening of the GCAT chapter  is only one part of the team's purposes.  Each day, one of the various sites where we go will be highlighted.

Like Nehemiah who galvanized the people of Israel to build and fight when their past had seemingly destroyed their hope of a future, the members of the Regent team hope to bring information and research-based methods, as well as the Spirit of God, so that the country of Trinidad and Tobago can rebuild their walls to be even stronger.

Amanda N. Trent, Psy.D.